Editing Poaching (section)

=== Africa ===
The [[Traffic (conservation programme)|Traffic conservation programme]] brings to light many of the poaching areas and trafficking routes and helps to clamp down on the smuggling routes the poachers use to get the ivory to areas of high demand, predominantly Asia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.traffic.org/|title=TRAFFIC {{!}} Wildlife trade specialists|website=www.traffic.org|language=en|access-date=2019-01-10}}</ref>

As many as 35,000 [[African elephant]]s<ref>[https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/elephant African elephants]</ref> are slaughtered yearly to feed the demand for their ivory tusks. This ivory then goes on to be used in jewelry, musical instruments, and other trinkets.

Members of the Rhino Rescue Project have implemented a technique to combat rhino poaching in [[South Africa]] by injecting a mixture of indelible [[dye]] and a parasiticide into the animals' horns, which enables tracking of the horns and deters consumption of the horn by purchasers. Since rhino horn is made of [[keratin]], advocates say the procedure is painless for the animal.<ref>Angler, M. (2013). [http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/05/09/dye-and-poison-stop-rhino-poachers/ Dye and Poison Stop Rhino Poachers], Scientific American, retrieved 8 August 2013</ref>

Another strategy being used to counter rhino poachers in Africa is called RhODIS, which is a database that compiles rhino DNA from confiscated horns and other goods that were being illegally traded, as well as DNA recovered from poaching sites. RhODIS cross-references the DNA as it searches for matches; if a match is found, it is used to track down the poachers.

Africa's Wildlife Trust seeks to protect [[African elephant]] populations from poaching activities in Tanzania. Hunting for [[Ivory#Availability|ivory]] was banned in 1989, but poaching of elephants continues in many parts of Africa stricken by economic decline. The [[International Anti-Poaching Foundation]] has a structured [[military]]-like approach to conservation, employing tactics and technology generally reserved for the battlefield. Founder [[Damien Mander]] is an advocate of the use of military equipment and tactics, including [[Unmanned Aerial Vehicles]], for military-style anti-poaching operations.<ref>{{cite news |author=Dunn, M. |year=2012 |title=Ex-soldier takes on poachers with hi-tech help for wildlife |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/ex-soldier-takes-on-poachers-with-hi-tech-help-for-wildlife/story-e6frf7kx-1226541411880 |newspaper=Herald Sun}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Mander, D. |year=2013 |title=Rise of the drones |journal=Africa Geographic |issue=February |pages=52–55 |url=http://www.iapf.org/images/documents/riseofthedronesjan2013.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402124230/http://www.iapf.org/images/documents/riseofthedronesjan2013.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2015-04-02 }}</ref><ref>Jacobs, H. (2013). [http://www.australiaunlimited.com/environment/eco-warrior ''The Eco-Warrior''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317005631/http://www.australiaunlimited.com/environment/eco-warrior |date=17 March 2014 }}. Australia Unlimited, 19 April 2013</ref> Such military-style approaches have been criticised for failing to resolve the underlying reasons for poaching, but to neither tackle "the role of global trading networks" nor the continued demand for animal products. Instead, they "result in coercive, unjust and counterproductive approaches to wildlife conservation".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Duffy |first1=R. |year=2014 |title=Waging a war to save biodiversity: the rise of militarized conservation |journal=International Affairs |volume=90 |issue=4 |pages=819–834 |doi=10.1111/1468-2346.12142 |url=http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/109071/1/Duffy-Int%20Affairs%20pre%20publication%20version.pdf}}</ref>

Chengeta Wildlife is an organization that works to equip and train wildlife protection teams and lobbies African governments to adopt anti-poaching campaigns.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=huffingtonpost.com |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/30/ivory-trade-elephants-extinct_n_5631782.html |title=African Elephants May Be Extinct By 2020 Because People Keep Eating With Ivory Chopsticks |date=30 July 2014}}</ref>
[[Jim Nyamu]]'s elephant walks are part of attempts in Kenya to reduce ivory poaching.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/africa-wild/2015/nov/16/strategies-for-success-in-the-ivory-war] Strategies for success in the ivory war, The Guardian, Paula Kahumbu, 2015</ref>

In 2013, the Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism urged that poachers be shot on sight in an effort to stop the mass killing of elephants.<ref>{{cite news |first=D. |last=Smith |date=2013 |title=Execute elephant poachers on the spot, Tanzanian minister urges |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=29 December 2016 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/08/shoot-elephant-poachers-tanzania-ivory}}</ref>
Since December 2016, anti-poaching police units in Namibia are permitted to return fire on poachers if fired upon.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.namibiansun.com/news/no-mercy-for-poachers/ |title=No mercy for poachers |first=J.-M. |last=Smith |date=2016 |newspaper=[[Namibian Sun]] |access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref>
The government of Botswana adopted a shoot-to-kill policy against poachers in 2013 as a "legitimate conservation strategy" and "a necessary evil", which has reduced poaching to the point it is thought to be "virtually non-existent" in the country, and that neighbouring countries like South Africa should also adopt similar measures in order to save wildlife from extinction.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mogomotsi |first1=G. |last2=Kefilwe Madigele |first2=P. |date=2017 |title=Live by the gun, die by the gun: An Analysis of Botswana's 'shoot-to-kill' policy as an anti-poaching strategy |journal=South African Crime Quarterly |issue=60 |doi=10.17159/2413-3108/2017/v0n60a1787 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Carnie |first=T. |date=2017 |title=Should rangers be allowed to kill poachers on sight? Yes' researchers say |url=http://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2017/07/18/rangers-allowed-kill-poachers-sight-yes-researchers-say/ |newspaper=The Herald (South Africa) |access-date=July 20, 2017}}</ref>
In May 2018, the Kenyan government announced that poachers will face the [[death penalty]], as fines and life imprisonment have "not been deterrence enough to curb poaching, hence the proposed stiffer sentence".<ref>{{cite news |last=Dalton |first=J. |date=2018 |title=Wildlife poachers in Kenya 'to face death penalty' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/poachers-kenya-wildlife-death-penalty-capital-punishment-najib-balala-a8349966.html |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=April 3, 2019}}</ref> Human rights organizations oppose the move, but wildlife advocates support it. [[Save the Rhino]], a UK-based wildlife advocacy organization notes that in Kenya, 23 rhinos and 156 elephants were killed by poachers between 2016 and 2017. As of March 2019, the measure is being put on the fast track to implementation by Kenyan lawmakers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chavez |first=H. |date=2019 |title=Kenya's Poachers To Face Execution For Killing Treasured Species |url=https://www.inquisitr.com/5321372/kenyas-poachers-to-face-execution-for-killing-treasured-species/ |newspaper=[[Inquisitr]] |access-date=April 3, 2019 }}</ref>